Department of English University of Florida ENC 4212 - Professional Editing Fall 2021 - UF English

Department of English
                           University of Florida

                   ENC 4212 – Professional Editing
                             Fall 2021

Instructor: Victor Del Hierro, Ph.D.     Office: Turlington 4340
Email: vdelhierro@ufl.edu                Class Location: MAT 0051
Office Hours: T 11:30-1:30 Th 12:35-1:30
Class Time: Tues 10:40am-11:30am Thursday 10:40am-12:35pm

Course Overview:
ENC 4212: Professional Editing asks you to engage with rhetorical, technical
communication, and cultural theories and practices toward further developing and
honing your skills in editing, as well as supplemental key competencies in
research, analysis, documentation, collaboration, and intercultural communication.
Despite what the course title might connote, we won’t focus solely on editing
documentation for technical industries and topics. Instead, we will think about the
multiple roles an editor plays. We will also look at the technicality of editing on
many levels; for example, the technical work that goes into: becoming subject
matter experts on topics you hadn’t previously known; working with authors with
technical expertise; learning copyediting symbology; doing the technical work of
audience and other rhetorical and cultural analyses; learning and using new
documentation styles; learning how organizational hierarchies and author-editor
power dynamics impact editing work and communication; etc. Consequently, this
course introduces rhetorical principles (e.g., audience, purpose, ethics,
arrangement, style, etc.) and asks you to apply them to a variety of workplace
editing contexts (technical and less-technical), cultures, and genres. Ultimately,
this course offers you the opportunity to learn more about the scholarly discipline
of technical communication and professional fields of editing and publishing and
to experience the various roles and work of editors and copyeditors within the
context of an invented professional space in this classroom: Illustrious Editing
Gang (IEG).

Course Goals:
The primary goals of ENC 4212 are to:

• Understand what “technical” editing means, what a technical editor does,
       and how technical editors work
    • Promote an understanding of technical editing as ethical, professional action
    • Introduce rhetorical principles, professional practices, research skills, and
       intercultural communication considerations
    • Develop project management skills and strategies
    • Interrogate the relationships between editing, rhetoric, culture, organizations,
       and power—and what these relationships mean for your editing practices
    • Learn and practice editing with real clients
    • Encourage responsible teamwork and collaboration skills.
Ultimately, ENC 4212 couples theory with hands-on editing practice, promotes
creative and critical strategies for solving real-world editing problems, fosters
diverse critical thinking strategies, and engages a variety of rhetorically-savvy
communication skills. To better the ways in which we think and communicate, this
course asks you to: ask what others think; listen to others; determine the value and
reliability of sources; synthesize different viewpoints; weigh the impact of those
viewpoints on your own; consider the impact of your communication on others;
and practice reading, writing, designing, and presenting.

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
  • Understand the differences between editing, copyediting, and proofreading
  • Identify and understand the audiences/users for whom you are editing
  • Develop an awareness of the cultures and communities within which, to
     whom, and about whom you communicate
  • Understand why research, organization, detail, clarity, and design are crucial
     to effective and ethical editing
  • Evaluate the reliability of and appropriateness of information sources
  • Research, analyze and assess the usability and usefulness of specific
     documentation for specific audiences/users
  • Write, edit, test, and present individual and collaborative work you will be
     expected to produce professionally and publicly.

Course Texts:
Saller, Carol Fisher. (2016). The Subversive Copy Editor: Advice from Chicago
(Second Edition). University of Chicago Press. ($20)

Einsohn, Amy. (2011). The Copyeditor's Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing
and Corporate Communications (3rdedition). University of California Press.
(Available as PDFs or digitally through the UF Library)

Additional PDFs will be available via Canvas or the UF Library.

Class Policy
In my courses, I do my best to ensure that everything we do is purposeful and
useful to students. I also come into the class with the assumption that everyone has
something to offer. My assessment of the class and of myself is always in
relationship to each other. If I assign something and a majority of the class is
successful, then I perceive that to mean I have been successful at my job. If I find
that most students are having a difficult time then I need reevaluate my approach
and adjust accordingly.

Grades and Assignments
All assignments must be submitted on time in order to pass the class. Grades will
be assigned on each project and your final grade will be assigned cumulatively
based on your scores on each assignment. If you are concerned with your grade at
any point in the semester, please schedule a time to meet on Zoom. I will not
discuss grades via email at any point. The table below outlines grade percentages
and their corresponding point/letter grades.

 Percent        Grade    Grade Points

 90.0 - 100.0   A        4.00
 87.0 - 89.9    A-       3.67
 84.0 - 86.9    B+       3.33
 81.0 – 83.9    B        3.00
 78.0 - 80.9    B-       2.67
 75.0 - 79.9    C+       2.33
 72.0 – 74.9    C        2.00
 69.0 - 71.9    C-       1.67
 66.0 - 68.9    D+       1.33
 63.0 - 65.9    D        1.00
 60.0 - 62.9    D-       0.67
 0 - 59.9       F        0.00

More information on UF grading policy may be found at:
https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx

Overview:
Style Analysis Literature (10%)
Style Analysis Harn Museum (15%)
Diversity Statement Revision (15%)
Team Client Project (15%)
Editor Statement 2 parts (10% + 10%)
Professional Editor’s Portfolio (15%)
Reading Quizzes (10%)

Style Analysis Literature (10%) and Harn Museum (15%)
Editing is all about understanding genre and context. For the Style Analysis
assignments you will be looking at two different types of writing. The first will be
from an example of literature that you hold in high esteem or regard. The second
will be the written portions from an exhibit at the Harn Museum. For this
assignments, consider the following questions: What rhetorical moves can you
identify in the text? How is the text organized? Are there any patterns that you can
recognize in the text?

Diversity Statement Revision (15%)
Over the course of the summer of 2020, we witnessed ongoing protests and
demonstrations as a response to state violence and police brutality perpetuated on
Black people. As movements gained attention, so was the magnification of anti-
Blackness in organizations and businesses thus prompting organizations and
businesses to respond through various public relations efforts. Many of those
efforts often missed the point of what they were supposed to accomplish or plainly,
lacked any kind of commitment to racial injustice and specifically to address anti-
Blackness. Prior to 2020 and after, we have seen other social movements take up
similar trajectories and various organizations and companies have had to respond
in similar ways. As writers and editors, we must be equipped to respond to these
moments and maintain a commitment to justice. While the statements may seem
performative or trivial at times, they do offer public moments to shift discourses
and models as the shifting landscape of social justice and equity continues to
evolve. This assignment will ask you to read, edit, and revise one of the statements
provided. You will also provide a memo that describes your process and what was
needed to revise original document.

Team Client Project (15%)
In groups of two or three editors, you will work with a client to complete editing
tasks. For this assignment, you will provide before and after copies of the

document you worked to revise as well as a team memo that describes your
process and the results of the revision.

Editor Statement (10% and 10%)
The editor’s statement will be our measuring stick for the semester. As a two-part
assignment, we will write at the beginning of the semester a positionality statement
and then at the end of the semester a formal Editor’s Statement. For the
positionality statement, you will develop a statement that describes your
positionality. This will include who you are, where you come from, what you
represent, and what you envision for yourself. For the editor’s statement at the end
of the semester, you will develop a cover letter of 1-2 pages that describes your
abilities as an editor. In this statement, you will describe your style, commitments,
and perspective on being an editor. Both of these statements will be self-reflective
and incredibly important towards understanding ourselves and our progress.

Professional Editor’s Portfolio (15%)
As a final project, you will put together a portfolio of your work throughout the
class as an editor. The portfolio can be a PDF “hard copy” or developed into a
personal professional website.

Reading Quizzes (10%)
Throughout the semester we will have reading quizzes once a week. They will be
from the readings for that week.

Students Requiring Accommodations
Students with disabilities who experience learning barriers and would like to
request academic accommodations should connect with the disability Resource
Center by visiting https://disability.ufl.edu/students/get-started/. It is important for
students to share their accommodation letter with their instructor and discuss their
access needs, as early as possible in the semester.

Course Evaluation
Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the
quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via
GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful
manner is available at gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/. Students will be notified
when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email
they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or

via ufl.bluera.com/ufl/. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to
students at gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/ .

Class Demeanor
Students are expected to arrive to class on time and behave in a manner that is
respectful to the instructor and to fellow students. Please avoid the use of cell
phones and restrict eating to outside of the classroom. Opinions held by other
students should be respected in discussion, and conversations that do not contribute
to the discussion should be held at minimum, if at all.

Materials and Supplies Fees
There are no additional fees for this course.

University Honesty Policy
UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of
the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the
highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all
work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following
pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor
received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code
(https://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/process/student-conduct- honor-code/) specifies a
number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions.
Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic
misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please
consult with the instructor or TAs in this class.

Campus Resources:
Health and Wellness U Matter, We Care: If you or someone you know is in
distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu, 352-392-1575, or visit U Matter, We
Care website to refer or report a concern and a team member will reach out to the
student in distress.

Counseling and Wellness Center: Visit the Counseling and Wellness Center
website or call 352-392-1575 for information on crisis services as well as non-
crisis services.

Student Health Care Center: Call 352-392-1161 for 24/7 information to help you
find the care you need, or visit the Student Health Care Center website.

UF Health Shands Emergency Room / Trauma Center: For immediate medical
care call 352-733-0111 or go to the emergency room at 1515 SW Archer Road,
Gainesville, FL 32608; Visit the UF Health Emergency Room and Trauma Center
website.

GatorWell Health Promotion Services: For prevention services focused on optimal
wellbeing, including Wellness Coaching for Academic Success, visit the
GatorWell website or call 352-273-4450.

Academic Resources
E-learning technical support: Contact the UF Computing Help Desk at 352-392-
4357 or via e-mail at helpdesk@ufl.edu.

Career Connections Center: Reitz Union Suite 1300, 352-392-1601. Career
assistance and counseling services.

Library Support: Various ways to receive assistance with respect to using the
libraries or finding resources.

Teaching Center: Broward Hall, 352-392-2010 or to make an appointment 352-
392-6420. General study skills and tutoring.

Writing Studio: 2215 Turlington Hall, 352-846-1138. Help brainstorming,
formatting,

Student Complaints On-Campus: Visit the Student Honor Code and Student
Conduct Code webpage for more information.

On-Line Students Complaints: View the Distance Learning Student Complaint
Process.

Calendar
Week 1 – Getting to know each other
Week 2 – A brief introduction to editing
Week 3 – Understanding our own positionality
Week 4 – Who do you work for as an editor?
Week 5 – Understanding how we read
Week 6 – Beginning to understand positionality and editing
Week 7 – Working with authors and understanding Writers (Homecoming Week)
Week 8 – Storytelling as a Theory
Week 9 – Applying Style and Storytelling
Week 10 – Themed Storytelling
Week 11 – Themed Storytelling Part 2
Week 12 – Editing and Technology
Week 13 – Introducing Portfolios
Week 14 – Thanksgiving Week
Week 15 – Revisiting our Positionality as editors
Week 16 – Last Week of Classes